I made this delicious delight last summer, lost the photos on my gargantuan (at the time) hard drive, and never got to post it.

I made it a couple of days ago, didn’t take several crucial photos, and didn’t get to post it.

So I made another batch for you today. I took one for the team. It’s the kinda gal I am.

This is a custard-based ice cream, which is the best kind of ice cream there is. You’ll need an ice cream maker; mine’s an old wooden one. The kind you get at The Wal Marts. But any ol’ ice cream maker will do.

First thing we need to do is cook down the blackberries a bit. Throw them into a medium saucepan over low to medium-low heat and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Add in 1/4 cup sugar. It’ll keep ya honest.

Now cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid has cooked out of the berries and begun to thicken.

And when it’s done…

Pour it into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and allow the delicious purple liquid to drain.

Use the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as you can.

This is liquid deliciousness.

THE MILK/SUGAR:

In a separate pan, combine 1 1/2 cups of half-and-half…

With 1 cup sugar.

Mix together, then warm up over low heat.

Now, in a separate bowl, pour 1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream.

Cream. Half and half. I just love ice cream, don’t you?

THE EGGS:

Throw 5 egg yolks into a bowl.

You can either beat them by hand, or take the easy route like I do and use an electric mixer.

Beat ‘em until they’re light yellowish.

TEMPER THE EGG YOLKS:

Now, grab a little bit of the warm half-and-half/cream mixture and slowly drizzle it into the egg yolks…

…As you whisk the egg yolks constantly. Repeat this with a little more of the half-and-half mixture.

NOW you can slowly drizzle the tempered egg yolks into the pan with the rest of the half-and-half (whisk constantly) without the egg yolks cooking.

Stir the mixture in the pan as it cooks over low to medium-low heat until it thickens into a loose custard.

Now, normally I’d just strain the custard mixture right into the bowl with the heavy cream. But since my other large mesh strainer was at the Lodge, I had to use this little shrimp of a strainer…and the pitcher of my blender!

Please don’t let the blender throw you. It really has nothing to do with this recipe.

When it’s all strained, pour the custard into the bowl with the heavy cream.

Stir together until the mixture is totally combined.

Now you can pour the blackberry juice/puree into the cream mixture.

Get ready. You’re gonna love this next part.

Yummy…

Yummy…

Purple!

Now, if you have the time you can refrigerate this for a couple of hours to chill it. But I want to hurry the process along.

So I throw some ice into my little sink. You can use a separate bowl, too.

Then just stir it occasionally over a period of ten minutes or so to speed-chill it!

I’m very impatient in the kitchen.

When it’s thoroughly chilled, pour it into the bucket of your ice maker.

I like these old fashioned numbers. They remind me of 1974 for some reason.

Not 1975, mind you. 1974.

Now you just layer ice…

With ice cream salt.

Then turn it on to churn…and walk away!

I’ll be back in a bit to share the recipe…and show you the delicious results.

You’re gonna want to see this.

UPDATE: I’m adding in the final steps from Post #2:

When the ice cream maker stops, it’s ready!

Now, if you simply can’t wait, go ahead and serve it up now…”soft serve” style!

Or, if you’re brimming with self control, you can scrape it back into the bucket with a rubber spatula…

Smooth out the surface so it’s nice and even, then cover tightly with the lid (or plastic wrap), then stick it in the freezer to harden for at least an hour or two.

And then…

And then…

And OH….then…

THIS is what you’ll have.

This ice cream is SO creamy and smooth. I’ll be using the basic recipe tomorrow to make Peach Ice Cream, which is one of Pesky Tim’s faves

Add blackberries to a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes. Drain using a fine mesh strainer, pressing berries to extract as much juice/puree as possible. Set aside.

Heat half-and-half and 1 cup sugar in a separate saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.

Add heavy cream to a separate bowl.

Beat egg yolks by hand or with an electric mixer until yolks are pale yellow and slightly thick.

Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling in 1 1/2 cups of hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. After that, pour the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture into the pan containing the rest of the half-and-half mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat (depending on how hot your stove gets) until quite thick, stirring constantly. Drain custard using a fine mesh strainer, then pour into the bowl with the cream. Stir to combine.

Add blackberry juice/puree to the cream/custard mixture and stir. Chill mixture completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker until thick. Place container in freezer to harden for an additional two hours.

Delicious Blackberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 pints Fresh Blackberries

1/2 whole Juiced Lemon

1/4 cup Sugar

1-1/2 cup Half-and-half

1 cup Sugar

5 whole Egg Yolks

1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Preparation Instructions

Add blackberries to a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes. Drain using a fine mesh strainer, pressing berries to extract as much juice/puree as possible. Set aside.

Heat half-and-half and 1 cup sugar in a separate saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.

Beat egg yolks by hand or with an electric mixer until yolks are pale yellow and slightly thick. Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling into the 1 1/2 cups of hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. After that, pour the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture into the pan containing the rest of the half-and-half mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat (depending on how hot your stove gets) until quite thick, stirring constantly.

Add heavy cream to a separate bowl. Drain custard using a fine mesh strainer, then pour into the bowl with the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add blackberry juice/puree to the cream/custard mixture and stir.

Chill mixture completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker until thick. Place container in freezer to harden for an additional two hours.

Denise in Seattle On Friday, July 3 at 5:14 pm

StephLyFrench On Friday, July 3 at 5:16 pm

We must be on the same page. I made strawberry ice cream yesterday and yummmmm. I too have an old ice cream maker. At least it’s not a hand crank one.

14

KarenAnita On Friday, July 3 at 5:17 pm

Ree, you are amazing!!! That looks so dadgum good and what’s summer without ice cream! I gave away my freezer. Gotta go get another one!

15

Cate On Friday, July 3 at 5:17 pm

Over the lips and onto the hips…. you’re an evil woman who causes great temptation to all womankind & mankind… but we all adore you… when the heck is that cookbook becoming available?

16

lh On Friday, July 3 at 5:19 pm

the best ice cream maker is the old fashioned white mountain hand cranked machine. if your family makes a lot of ice cream you may want to consider picking up a package of rock salt at the hardware store for 3 or 4 dollars. we throw the left over salt into the water softener.

Monie On Friday, July 3 at 5:27 pm

Theresa On Friday, July 3 at 5:28 pm

I grew up calling those “dewberries”. As much as I loved dewberry cobbler, I never thought about putting them into ice cream. My mom would stop anywhere that those berries grew in public, and make us all pick ‘em,. Brings back memories of snakes and poison ivy!

miss lola On Friday, July 3 at 5:39 pm

looks great p-dub, we have cusinart electric ice cream maker…just pour it in and walk away…it is beyond wonderful…when my daughter and her husband come into town, they make ice cream almost every day! this looks fabulous!

29

lauri On Friday, July 3 at 5:45 pm

that’s enough to kill the diet…I’m gonna make it anyway!!Berries are ripe here in CA!

Susie On Friday, July 3 at 5:59 pm

We own a ice cream store, so we make our own….I think I’ll have to try this one!

46

Shelley On Friday, July 3 at 6:01 pm

Oh my! I’ve been trying to think of what kind of a dessert (aside from pie) to make for our 4th of July celebrations. This will be perfect! I have a Type 1 Diabetic son & so will switch out the sugar for Splenda and see how it works with those dang blood sugars of his – poor boy.

On my way to Wal Mart in a few to pick myself up an ice cream maker!

TY Ree

47

Lindie On Friday, July 3 at 6:01 pm

I had an ice cream maker many years ago. I have no idea what happened to it. Now I want another one! And I can only eat a few teaspoons of it since I had gastric bypass! But I have 3 young families that will eat it!

Oh good, I saw the raw eggs and thought you might be in the raw egg in ice cream camp. There’s a bitter battle between my husband and I, over who’s family recipe is best. I say mine is since it doesn’t involve raw eggs!!

basketlady On Friday, July 3 at 6:15 pm

Oh my this looks good and reminds me of the summers in the 1950′s (yes 50′s) when a whole bunch of the neighbors got together with a whole bunch of ice cream makers the dads churned, fresh summer peaches (or strawberries or whatever fruit) that the mom’s prepped, some dry ice and made ice cream for all of the kids in the neighborhood.

I think I need to (a) take another lovastatin quick before I check out part 2 because I feel my cholesterol rising just reading and (b) make a quick run to the super walmart for an ice cream maker and some salt! Yumm-EE!

58

Cindy On Friday, July 3 at 6:16 pm

Ice cream heaven……

59

Vicki Tauriello On Friday, July 3 at 6:17 pm

Can you Fed Ex me some right away? My current favorite is a soft black raspberry ice cream cone with chocolate sprinkles. This looks even better! YUM!

60

Mary On Friday, July 3 at 6:21 pm

mmm, I cant wait

61

Nettie0523 On Friday, July 3 at 6:23 pm

This looks great Ree, thank you! How many quarts does this make? For those of us looking to purchase an ice cream maker?

Did ya notice in the photo where you were pouring the half & half into the bowl, it looks like a bear or a puppet of some kind? Bwahaha!
Can’t wait to see the result… blackberries are not ready here yet, probably a few more weeks before we get to do some pickin’.

69

Sheri O. On Friday, July 3 at 6:48 pm

We always loved sitting in the ice cream maker as Grandpa and my dad worked the crank! It was a whole lot better than my bigger cousins who had to take their turn cranking!

70

nevermind On Friday, July 3 at 6:49 pm

Ree,
You need a steam juicer. So many things you can do with it. Once you try it you will never go back

71

Sheila On Friday, July 3 at 6:49 pm

I almost gave away my ice cream maker last year. Thank Goodness it is still here!!

72

Anne On Friday, July 3 at 6:53 pm

Jennifer On Friday, July 3 at 6:53 pm

Thanks for the recipe. I am milking 3 goats and getting 4 plus gallons of milk daily, and 27 laying hens to boot. The blackberries are abundant on our Calapooia River property here in Oregon. I needed a recipe for homemade ice cream. Will definately be making this one for my family this summer!

74

mosheep/Denise On Friday, July 3 at 7:00 pm

Definitely need to make this.
Now I need to get to a tore and get some blackberries, half&half and some heavy cream.

Love it! We are planning on getting an icecream maker and this is so going to be #2 on the list. My hubby has peach icecream on his mind so that will be #1. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait to see the finished product! YUM

78

Sasha On Friday, July 3 at 7:10 pm

Yum! I may have to try to make my own ice cream – which would require me to go buy a maker.

79

Amy On Friday, July 3 at 7:16 pm

I fell in love with blackberry ice cream in Spain. I came home and looked for it everywhere. NO ONE does it right. (And I live in blackberry country!) So, I determined to make it myself. Went out and bought the big huge kick butt ice cream maker and everything. Never having made ice cream before… well, it’s been an education thus far.

Martha Sue On Friday, July 3 at 7:27 pm

Mmmmm…homemade ice cream is one of my favorite desserts to serve guests – they just feel special that you went to the trouble for them. Three of my favorites – peach-watermelon sorbet, Snickerdoodle ice cream, and rosemary ice cream with grilled peaches – are on my blog:

I pretty much hate you right now… though… I do have to say… I do at least have fresh wild blackberries growing in my yard. They’re just not ripe yet. I bet you do, too, and I bet yours are ripe already (like most people’s are). You just need to get out there and pick them!

Looks sooooooo yummy, but so much work… now I have a shortcut “custard” recipe for southern peach and I wonder if I can use that and just substitute blackberry! Might have to take one for the team and give it a try, huh?